My college years were spent at Oberlin College where I met Paul Scharff. In 1953 we were married following which time I finished college and taught kindergarten and primary school classes for several years, while Paul finished medical school and his internship. Two years with the Public Health Service followed.
During this time we considered places where we would like to move to establish our work and lives together. Certain individuals, as well as the intentions of the work at the Threefold Farm, took us to what is now Chestnut Ridge, NY in 1959. Here residency training continued and seven years later, after many preliminary steps, we worked together with others to dedicate a new work – the beginning of the Fellowship Community. As the endeavor had needed variances and approval by the Town of Ramapo, it was finally headlined in the Journal News as having received support to evolve “An Experiment in Long Term Care”. Over the years our four children Christopher, Michael, Katherine and John joined us and joined into the unfolding of this unique community endeavor. Further aspects of these many years can be found in the biography of Dr. Scharff.
Anthroposophy came through Juana, daughter of Jairo Gonzalez. She referred me an institute where Waldorf pedagogy was taught, and I did an introductory yearly course in 2015. Around 2014-15 in a visit with Jairo Gonzalez in Bogota I learned about the Fellowship Community. He mentioned that Paul, the cofounder, had recently passed away. Volunteering at the Community was also spoken about.
Through the mediation of Jairo and Rona I had the chance to go and stay in the autumn 2016, then in the autumn 2017 through summer 2018, and a last visit in the winter of 2019-20.
A beautiful and enriching experience, magical, surrounded by the warmth and love of the people of the Fellowship Community,
the living experiment started by Paul, Ann, and others,a seed that goes inside one’s heart.